


I Couldn't Protect You (Part 1)

by OnlyDarylNormanFic



Series: I Couldn't Protect You [1]
Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Daryl Dixon Smut, F/M, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-15
Updated: 2018-11-15
Packaged: 2019-08-23 22:04:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16627259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnlyDarylNormanFic/pseuds/OnlyDarylNormanFic
Summary: Request:  Hey I have a request if you’re ever up to writing it I don’t know if this is too dark but I was wondering if you could do one where the reader and Daryl are kidnapped by the governor, they are held in different rooms, but when Daryl refuses to give and info up the governor brings reader into the same room and starts torturing her in front of Daryl, even though reader tells him not to he has to give it up to save her???? XxxSummary: The reader and Daryl are taken prisoner by the governor and his men when they are caught on a scouting mission. Daryl has to watch helplessly while the reader is tortured by the governor. Daryl finds a way to escape and brings the reader home to the prison where they prepare to fight against the governor and his men. Meanwhile, the reader slowly heals from her wounds and helps the others get ready for the governor’s impending attack. TW: Physical Abuse of Reader and Attempted Sexual Abuse.





	I Couldn't Protect You (Part 1)

“Daryl?! Daryl, what’s happening? I can’t see. Daryl? I’m scared!” You shouted loudly, trying to keep the tears that wanted to stream down your face at bay.

Someone was dragging you across a cement floor, which was all you could see with the black bag over your head. Their grip was so hard, you knew it would cause a bruise. They swung your body around and you dizzily fell back onto a wooden chair. The person walked behind the chair and grabbed your arms, pulling them behind your back and the back of the chair, tightly winding the rope around your wrists and tying it. You struggled against the rope and tried to hop out of the chair.

“Get these off! Let me go!” You shouted, trying unsuccessfully to look behind you at whoever had tied you up.

“The legs too.” You heard his voice coming from somewhere farther away.

It was The governor. Your lip trembled and you struggled more as you felt both your feet swiftly being tied to the chair legs.

“Get away from her ya asshole!”

You heard Daryl yelling from somewhere in the distance and heard the sound of rattling metal as Daryl tried like hell to free himself from his cell. The man finished tying both of your legs to the chair legs and you heard the sound of his heels walk off and finally a door slam.

“Daryl?” You asked, with fear in your voice as it trembled with uncertainty.

“I’m here, Y/N…” Daryl said, choking up at the sight of you tied up and vulnerable.

He shook his cage door again as hard as he could, trying to open it with sheer willpower.

“Try all you want. Those are state of the art. You don’t get out unless I want you to.”

There was The governor’s voice again. You heard his footsteps walk slowly across the room until he was in front of you.

Suddenly, the bag over your head was ripped off your head and you were temporarily blinded. You had been in another room for nearly a few days already now. You and Daryl had been plucked away by the governor’s men when you were doing a recon mission for the group, to ensure the prison’s safety. You had insisted to Daryl that you wanted to go with. He had insisted otherwise. But, like always you won that argument and now here you were. It had been days alone in a room being fed measly crumbs and a glass of water only once a day.

You blinked rapidly as your eyes adjusted to the light and the scene around you. You were in a basement of some sort, in a huge and open room. You looked around frantically searching for Daryl. Your heart broke when you saw him just a yard or so ahead of you, clenching the bars of his cell and looking over at you with anger and sadness in his eyes.

“Y/N…” He whispered, trying to shake the cell doors open away, yelling loudly in anger when he couldn’t.

“Well, well, well… He sure is a feisty one, huh? Good thing I had my boys make sure he was locked up tight. I’d hate to think what a man like that would do to a man like me.” Said the governor, his voice thick with amusement.

You finally looked up at the man in front of you, pursing your lips and hardening your eyes the best you could, trying not to show him fear.

“What do you want?” You asked, spitting the words out like knives as you looked over at him in disgust.

He chuckled and it echoed throughout the cold tomblike room, before looking down at you with a smug smile and speaking.

“What do I want? I want a lot of things, Y/N is it?” He asked, allowing his eyes to slowly and suggestively room your body.

You squirmed uncomfortably at his gaze and tried again to escape your restraints.

“Don’t you fucking look at her!” Daryl shouted his blood boiling as he slammed both his hands angrily onto the bars of his cell.

The Governor chuckled again and looked over at Daryl. He slowly walked over to Daryl’s cell and stuck his face as close to Daryl’s as he glared him down.

“Son, you best grasp the situation here and quick. You are no longer in charge here, I am. And if you don’t tell me what I want to know? Well then, you best start thinking about how you are going to keep that young lady over there alive.” He said, glaring into Daryl as if they were at a stalemate.

Daryl’s eyes twitched nervously for a moment before he hardened them again and leaned in closer to the governor’s face.

“I ain’t tellin’ you shit. Let me and Y/N go before I carve your heart out myself.” Daryl said, clenching his fists as he imagined pummeling the man in front of him until he stopped breathing.

The Governor looked Daryl over and watched the rage run through him and smirked, huffing a little to himself.

“It really is too bad that man Rick found you first, Daryl. I could have made a fine soldier out of you. A fine soldier.” He said as if he was reciting his inner monologue.

He turned around and walked over to a small metal medical table that was located a few feet away from you. He took his time, running his fingertips across the medical tools that were cleaned and laid out in front of him. His fingers stopped on Daryl’s knife, the one his men had confiscated from him when they were caught. He smiled to himself and picked it up, admiring it for a minute before looking over at you.

He let out a low whistle as he looked your body up and down, making you feel sick to your stomach. You watched him walk over to you with Daryl’s knife in his hand. Your heart started to race, your eyes glued on the knife he held out as he walked over to you.

“You son of a bitch!” Daryl shouted, pulling at the bars again as he watched the man walk over and slowly place the blade’s tip on your sternum, just under your neck.

“You got a nice piece of ass here, Daryl…” He said, smiling sadistically as he slowly ran the knife down to your first button and cut it open.

You looked up at him with angry eyes.

“Go fuck yourself.” You said, clenching your jaw and ignoring the fear that ran through you, instead trying to focus on your anger.

He looked over into your angry, determined, eyes and smiled at your anger. He ran the knife slowly down the buttons of your shirt and running it down to your clothed pussy, lightly tracing it as he watched his actions.

You struggled again, trying to get free your mind racing at all the horrible things he must be thinking about doing to you.

He didn’t say another word, he just brought the knife back up your shirt and body and trailed it around your shoulder to your back as he walked around the chair behind you. He ran his hands into your hair, massaging it as he closed his eyes and enjoyed himself. You tried to pull your head away from his touch repeatedly. He noticed and opened his eyes, looking angrily at your actions. His free hand gripped the back of your hair and pulled your head back swiftly and harshly, causing you to cry out in pain.

He held you in place with his grip on you and leaned down and over to the side of your neck. Meanwhile, his other hand came around the other side of your neck and slowly traced the knife’s blade lightly back and forth on your skin.

“Now, is that any way to treat a man who has given you such hospitality? He looked your body over from the new angle, noticing your heaving breasts popping slightly out of your shirt after he had taken out the first button.

You were still and breathing heavy, trying to stay calm as you felt him all over you.

“I shouldn’t tell ya this… But, you owe me. I can’t tell you how many good men of mine wanted a taste of this pretty body…” He whispered into your ear as he ran the knife down the nape of your neck and slowly in between your breasts, just slightly dipping below into them.

“You son of a bitch, you touch her again and I’m going to-” Daryl was interrupted as he paced his cell.

The Governor looked over at him, smiling.

“You’re going to what? Talk me to death?” He asked sarcastically, smiling smugly at him as he pulled you back by your hair again, causing another loud cry of pain to escape your lips.

Daryl gripped the bars and looked over at you with angry sadness as he watched the man all over you as you struggled.

“Seriously, this guy?” He asked you, bringing the knife back up your neck and holding it there.

You didn’t say anything, you just looked over at a blank spot on the wall and stayed as still and quiet as you could be.

The Governor chuckled and swiftly let go of your hair, pushing your head harshly forward as he withdrew the knife back to his side.

“A good woman knows her place… It’s good to see family values are still intact in this crap heap of a world.” He said, as if to himself.

He walked over to your side and you turned your head the opposite direction, feeling his gaze on you and it made you feel repulsed and terrified. But, you didn’t show it. You held your head high and tried to focus on being strong. You also felt Daryl’s eyes on you. But, you couldn’t feel them. Not now. Not when you had to be strong for him.

Daryl paced back and forth in his cell, his blood full of rage and fire as he watched the scene, helplessly. He watched as the Governor came to your side and his hands ran down to his belt buckle, starting to untie it.

“What the hell are you doin’!?” He shouted loudly as he shook and gripped the bars again.

You heard the sound and you closed your eyes, the fear finally taking over as you heard him unlock his belt and unzip his pants.

“I’m going to ask you one time. Where is your group hiding?” He said looking over at Daryl as he unbuttoned his pants with a look of twisted excitement in his eyes.

“Don’t tell him, Daryl… I’ll be fine… We need to protect the group…” You said, your eyes still closed with a fearful look in your eyes as tears started to stream down your face as you imagined the horror that was to come.

Suddenly, the Governor walked in front of you, forcing your face forward towards him as he gripped your chin and pushed it forward. He dropped his free hand from your chin and then pulled it back and pushed it forward, punching you hard in the left eye.

You cried out in pain at the impact, your head falling as your body instinctually tried to cup the hurt eye, only to be reminded it couldn’t move tied down.

His hand came up and gripped the top of your hair, forcing your head up and your eyes to him, which looked scared and resolved all at once.

“You don’t need to protect them… You need to think about protecting yourself…” He said, glaring down at you in angry dominance.

You looked up at him with anger in your eyes as your blood boiled and spat in his face.

“I’m not telling you shit!” You said, hardening your eyes as you felt the anger run through you.

He smiled for a second and took his hand off your hair and pulled it back and pushed it forward again, punching you multiple times in the jaw and mouth.

You cried out in pain after he was done, blood dripping from your now cut open lip. Your head hung down as you looked at the floor dazed and confused, your ears ringing and the world around you blurry. You heard Daryl shouting and pulling at the metal bars frantically as if he were miles away, your hearing skewed. You watched the blood drip down from your mouth and fall to the concrete floor in a splash. You heard Daryl’s knife drop to the floor and groaned in surprised pain as the governor pulled your head up by his hair again.

You looked up at him and saw a double vision of him dancing around in front of your eyes. You were so out of it you couldn’t even think a single thought at the moment.

He smiled down at you with accomplishment and let your head drop and dangle again.

He turned around and looked Daryl in the eye as he reached into his pants and grabbed his dick out of it, staring Daryl down as if this whole thing was just what he wanted.

“I swear to god! I am going to kill you if you touch her again!” He shouted, a look of panic coming to his eyes as he again fought with the cell door.

The governor huffed and smirked wider. He turned around and gripped you by the hair, forcing your head up again, with his other hand on his cock. He looked back at Daryl.

“It’s your last chance, boy. What’s it gonna be? You gonna tell me where those low lives of yours are hidin’ out? Or are you gonna watch me fuck this pretty thing until she can’t stand anymore?” He asked.

You gargled, trying to speak to Daryl, but all that came out was more blood. You couldn’t see straight and your one eye was now nearly swollen shut.

Daryl looked over at you with angry sadness in his eyes. He clenched his jaw and hardened his eyes as the hit the governor’s again. He gripped the bars of the cell door as tight as he could as he spoken.

“I’ll tell you. Just let her go.” He said, trying to remain strong as he looked into the devil’s eyes himself.

The governor smiled back at Daryl, an easy smile, and dropped his grip on you. Your head fell back down and you heard the sound of a zipper and belt being fastened again.

He turned around and walked slowly towards Daryl.

“Wise decision, Daryl.” He said, looking over at him with ease as if he had not just hit you and tried to force himself on you.

He folded his arms, looking back at you with the same smile and then back at Daryl.

“I have to admit… I know I can have anybody I want within these walls. But, I sure would have loved a piece of her…” He said, leaning in real close and smiling wider at Daryl’s angry reaction.

Daryl’s jaw clenched and he pushed at the bars of the cell again with pure rage.

The governor chuckled and shrugged, looking back at him with humor in his eyes.

“But, a deal’s a deal.” He said walking closed until they were both standing face to face only the bars dividing them…

“So… About what I wanted to know?” He asked, refusing to restate his request as he looked over at Daryl, his eyes becoming serious and dangerous again.

Daryl looked back at you, your head hanging as if you were about to lose consciousness. His heart was aching and his blood was boiling being stuck and not able to help you.

He looked back at the governor and squinted his eyes as he spoke.

“Ya promise that if I tell you, you will let us go?” He asked, squinting harder at the awful man.

The governor nodded.

“I surely do. You have my word. You tell me where your group is hiding and I assure you that you will both be free.” He said, holding Daryl’s unsteady gaze with an assuring one.

Daryl looked back over at you and noticed you had lost consciousness, gripping the bars and stepping into them as his instinct to rush to you took over. What choice did he have? He looked back over at the man and nodded uneasily.

“There’s a prison a few miles east of here. We cleared it and have maintained a safe space now for months. You can’t miss it.” He said, hating that he was telling his enemy where to find his people, but needing you to be safe.

The governor nodded and chuckled again.

“Well, thank you for being *so* co-operative Daryl. Sincerely, I appreciate it.” He said, smiling and holding his gaze for a minute before whistling and looking over at the door.

Daryl looked over and watched three men walk through the door. Two of them looked like soldiers ready for orders and one was a blonde man with glasses who looked like he belonged in a research lab. The governor looked over at you unconscious in the chair with slight disgust before looking back at the two soldiers.

“Take her outside. Dump her over the fence. Let those undead pricks have her.” He said as if you were nothing more than an animal.

They nodded and walked over to you, one picked up Daryl’s knife on the floor and used it to untie your hands and feet. They then lifted your unconscious body up and swung your arms over each one of their shoulders and started to drag you out of the room, your feet dragging across the concrete as they did.

“Hey! What are you doin’?! Bring her back!!” He called out to the men who acted like they couldn’t hear him.

The blonde man with glasses looked back at him with slight mercy before following the men out of the room and shutting the door.

Daryl looked at the Governor whose smile had never faded.

He slammed his hands back on the cell railings and shook them violently again.

“I thought you said you would let us free?!” He said in anger and frantic grief at the thought of you unsafe outside left to die.

The governor chuckled and nodded his head looking back over at him.

“I said you’d be free. And trust me, once they bit into her and she changes? She won’t even remember what it’s like to live in this painful world. As for you? Well, I’ll free you like I promised, once I take out this prison and everyone in it.” He said, his eyes getting more dangerous with each word he spoke as he glared Daryl down.

Daryl hit at the bars harshly again, pure rage and loss running through him all at once.

This made the governor laugh again. He nudged his nose up at Daryl and smiled.

“Sweet dream, Daryl.” He said turning and walking out of the room.

“Noo!! You get back here you son of a bitch!! You bring her back!!” He shouted.

He shouted and shouted until his voice was nearly nonexistent. And he banged on that cell door under his hands were bloody. Soon reality of you being gone hit his body and he fell to his knees, starting to cry harder than he even knew was possible. Visions of your loving face and memories of you flooding his mind and he lost it, putting his head in his hands and crying as hard as his body could muster.

A few minutes after this you heard the door open again, through your tears you looked over. You saw the same man with blonde hair and glasses who had been with the soldiers who took you out walk in. He stopped at the door as it closed, looking at Daryl as if he were unsure of something. Daryl quickly got up and gripped the metal bars, looking over at the man through tear-soaked eyes.

“Hey, man. You gotta get me out of here… I need to save her.” He said, hoping this man wasn’t like the others in this place.

The man looked down at the floor as if he were discussing something with himself, trying to decide what to do.

Daryl looked down at his trembling hands and noticed he was holding keys in them.

“Come on, man… What if that was your girl? I can’t just let her get eaten… Not after everything. *PLEASE*.” He pleaded with the man, knowing he had no other cards to play.

The man looked over at him and nodded, slowly walking towards Daryl’s cell and facing him.

“You have to understand. I am not the same kind of man as them. Barbarians.” He said as if convincing himself that were true.

“I know… It’s alright. Just please let me out?” Daryl asked, pulling desperately at the bars.

The man nodded, his face resolved, and walked over to the cell putting the key into the lock.

“I saw where they dumped her. Go straight down the hall, up the stairs to the exit on the left. Then across the courtyard. There is a side door only the soldiers know about, just behind the fountain. She is just outside that door a few yards.” He said, turning the key in the lock.

He hesitated before finished opening it and looked over at Daryl.

“He’s going to question how you got out. If I let you out, you need to make it look like you escaped. That is, you’re going to need to make it look like you overpowered me.” He said, looking over at Daryl waiting for his response.

Daryl nodded rapidly in understanding.

The man nodded back and pushed the key all the way down. He unlocked the door and pulled it open stepping back and allowing Daryl room to exit.

Daryl swiftly walked out and looked at the man. He drew his fist back and propelled it forward with all the might and anger inside of him, knocking the man out in one punch. The man fell to the ground unconscious. Daryl looked down at the man with anger in his eyes.

“No problem.” He said to himself before swiftly turned towards the door. He grabbed his knife that had been set back on the medical table and gripped it pushing it forward into the air as he made his escape.

Daryl ran quickly and quietly up the hall, out the side door, and into the courtyard. He quickly scanned it, for the fountain the man had talked about. He found it and ran towards it. He saw the same two men who had taken you just an hour before standing guard by the door the man told you about. He ducked behind the fountain, his knife drawn as he hid from them, slowly peeking around to gauge the situation.

The two men were laughing and joking with each other and one went to slowly peak out the door.

“She still there?” The other asked.

The man shut the door again and nodded to the other.

“Yep. Still unconscious and still no dead fuckers around.” He said.

The other man nodded and smirked at his friend, shrugging as he gripped his belt with both hands and placed his feet shoulder length apart, spitting on the ground before speaking again.

“You know, we could go out there… Have a little fun with her… It’s not like anyone would notice.” He said looking over at his buddy with a knowing grin.

His buddy scratched his head and looked up at the governor’s window, noticing his light had finally gone out. He looked back at his friend and nodded in agreement.

“Shit. No one would know. We’ll just make sure she’s taken care of afterward.” He said, opening the door and gesturing to his friend.

Daryl watched as they walked outside, laughing to each other as the door shut behind them.

Daryl tiptoed over to the door, swiftly and quietly walking out the door and shutting it. He stalked the two men from a few feet behind, trying to ignore the conversation they were having about what they wanted to do with your body.

Daryl walked steadily behind him, knife drawn as he followed them without their knowledge. They stopped over your lifeless body, which was sprawled out on a grassy hill for the walkers to stumble upon. The two men stood over you and talked some more, laughing about how easy this was and about how much “fun” you would be.

Daryl’s blood was boiling again as he listened to them talk about you as if you were something without feelings and as if you weren’t someone’s most beloved; his.

The short, fat, man on the right was talking about where, “he was going to put it,” as his eyes roamed yours with evil intent. Daryl snuck up behind him, grabbed him by the back of his hair and yanked his head back, swiftly slitting his throat. The man fell to the ground and Daryl looks over at the other man who now had terror in his eyes. He rose his hands in the air in surrender.

“Hey, look man… I promise. I won’t say anything, just take her and leave.” He said, fear in his eyes.

Daryl’s eyes were pure rage as he glared the man down in angry disgust.

“I heard what you were gonna do to her!” He growled, in a pure rage as he walked towards the man, his still bloody knife in his hand, pointed at the ground as he did.

The man looked over at you and shook his head rapidly, looking over at Daryl with fearful eyes.

“No, man… You got that all wrong. We were just joking around, we didn’t mean nothin’ by it.” He said, his body trembling as he watched Daryl’s eyes grow harder as he walked over to him, putting his face in his.

“You’re lyin’,” Daryl said, swiftly pulling his knife up to the man’s stomach and pushing it into it, dragging the sharp knife across it, disemboweling him in one swoop.

He moaned, gasped, and his body immediately fell backward onto the ground, his guts spilling out everywhere as he instantly died.

Daryl looked down at the man with no pity, only rage for a second, before quickly turning around and walking over to you. He holstered his knife and quickly knelt down, putting his hands on your bruised and battered face. He cupped your face, looking worriedly at all the cuts and bruises on it. He pushed his ear to your chest and sighed a small sigh of relief when he heard your lungs were breathing and your heartbeat. It was faint. But, it was there. He looked back over at your unconscious face and whispered.

“I’m gonna get you home, Y/N. You’re gonna be alright. Okay? Just hang in there.” He said, kneeling over you and quickly scooping you up into his arms. He stood up and adjusted your body in his arms, looking down at you hoping this would elicit a response. Instead, your nearly lifeless body went limp and your arms stretched out and hung towards the ground and gravity. He adjusted accordingly, looking down at you concerned before clenching his jaw and focusing his eyes and will forward.

He walked you the few miles to the prison, keeping a lookout for any undead asshole that thought they would win against him in the fight to save your life. As he trudged through swamps and prairie there were a few times he had to set you down to kill a walker or two that was stumbling around. He finally reached the meadow he had begun to know so well and winced at the bright flood light that hit his eyes. He looked over at the gate, where he noticed Glenn, Sasha, and Rick standing guard.

Then he heard the familiar sound of cawing and chomping en masse and turned his attention to the right seeing nearly a hundred walkers clawing at the wall. He watched as Tyrese and Carol took turned taking them out one by one. He noticed a few other walkers wandering aimlessly around the meadow, arms outstretched looking for a meal. He looked down at you in your unconscious state his heart aching at the thought of leaving you behind, even for a second. But, what choice did he have? He couldn’t fit them and care you all on his own. He looked back at the woods he had just emerged from and walked you back into them, slowly and painstakingly lowering you back to the ground as he propped you up behind a big tree near the clearing.

He looked down at you, his heart breaking that he had to leave you to get help. He leaned down and kissed the top of your head, looking back over at you and whispering.

“Hold on, Y/N. I’m going to get help. Stay with me, okay?” He said, gulping back his tears as he stood up and began to sprint towards the gate with all he had.

He jumped up and slammed his knife down into one of the aimless walker’s heads from behind as he passed it before it could alert the others of his presence. He ran as fast as he could, bloody knife in his hands as he got closer to the gate. He waved his arms, hoping to gain their attention.

“Hey!” He watched Glenn yell down to Sasha and Rick at the gate.

They both looked over and saw Daryl sprinting toward the gate with a panicked look on his face.

“Open the gate!” Glenn ordered and Rick and Sasha obliged.

Daryl made it to the gate and looked at Glenn and then Rick. Glenn quickly dismantled the ladder of the watchtower and ran over to them. Daryl looked at them all as he caught his breath.

“Please. I need help. It’s Y/N.” Daryl said and with that Daryl started sprinting back towards the woods.

Rick and Glenn looked at each other with worry, knowing something was wrong. Then, Rick looked at Sasha who looked up at him concerned and scared. Rick put both of his hands on her shoulders and shook her back to reality.

“Close the gate behind us. Stand guard until we get back.” He said, looking at her seriously.

Sasha nodded rapidly in agreement, silently watching as Glenn and Rick started to run after Daryl who was nearly halfway across the meadow already. Glenn caught another walker in the head who was wandering through with his knife to the head as they tried to catch up to Daryl. Daryl sprinted into the woods and came back to your side a look of relief washing over him that none of them undead assholes had found you yet.

He put his hands on his sides, bending over as he tried to catch his breath. A few seconds later Rick, followed by Glenn ran into the woods almost running into Daryl in the process. Rick looked around and then down towards Daryl’s worried gaze. He stepped back in disbelief for a second when he saw the sight of you. Glenn looked over at you and his eyes widened.

“Jesus, man! What the hell happened?!” He said completely taken aback by the sight of your bruised and bloody appearance.

“There’s no time for that right now!” Daryl shouted angrily, looking over at them.

They both stepped back noticing the feral look in his eyes and Daryl looked down at you, his eyes softening with sadness. He looked back at his friends pleaded with them, his voice nearly cracking from the emotion he knew he had to stave off until this is over, for your sake.

“Please. Just help me get her inside?” He asked, with begging eyes.

Rick stepped forward and put his hand on his friend's shoulder, recognizing the crazy look in Daryl’s eye as one he himself had been through. He nodded.

“Of course, we will,” Rick said with a reassuring look in his eye.

Daryl’s eyes thanked him and he nodded, looking away for a second to gulp down his emotion.

“Did you carry her all the way back from Woodbury?” Rick asked, noticing Daryl’s exhausted appearance.

Daryl nodded, still looking away not ready to tell them what happened.

He looked over at a staggering walker who had spotted them, just a few yards away, already changing direction towards them and then looked back at the two men he trusted the most in this world.

“I’ll take care of them. If you can just help me get her there?” He asked, no, begged them with his eyes.

They both nodded with serious eyes and walked over to your nearly lifeless body slumped against the tree.

Rick looked over at Glenn as they both knelt down, taking your arms and swinging one around each of their shoulders.

“On three,” Rick said to Glenn who nodded in agreement.

“One… Two… Three…” With that the two men pulled your unconscious body upright, starting to carry you back to the gate, your feet dragging lifelessly across the grass and foliage as they did.

Daryl looked back, making sure they had you before leading the charge and walking swiftly back up towards the gate. He took out any walker in his way with more rage than usual, pushing and twisting the knife into their brains with extra fervor, always looking back to make sure you were behind him. After a few minutes, you guys reached the gate and it opened, thanks to Sasha who had a worried, anxious, look on her face as she watched you walk into the safe haven. She finally saw them dragging you inside and looked at the state of you, gasping in horror as she looked over at Rick who was dragging you in with Glenn.

“What happen!?” She asked with a shocked face.

Rick looked over at Daryl and then back at Michonne, not sure what to say.

“Shut the gate. I’m sending T-Dog out to take my place. Keep watch until further notice.” Rick said to Michonne, who just nodded and turned around quickly shutting and locking the gate.

Daryl nodded to him in thanks before leading them up and inside the prison. Once inside the mess hall they drug you to the cell designated for sick patients and slowly put you down onto the cot, stepping back and watching as Daryl swiftly sat by your side and stroked the sides of your face lovingly.

“I’ll go get Hershel,” Glenn said and quickly raced out of the room to get the doctor.

Daryl was caught in a moment all his own as he watched you silently sleep, finally safe and sound where you belonged.

Rick watched Daryl take you in and then looked over at your battered appearance.

“Did he do this?” Rick’s dark voice cut through Daryl’s endless thoughts about losing you.

Daryl’s blood-stained hands stopped and he looked up at Rick with hard eyes and nodded with shame in his eyes.

“I couldn’t stop him…” Daryl said, looking away with a faraway look in his eyes as he relived the nightmare.

Rick noticed and walked over and knelt down, looking into his brother’s eyes.

“I promise you, we’re gonna make this right.” He said, looking away and trying to shake off the disgust that ran through his body at the thought of any man doing such a thing.

“It’s worse…” Daryl said quietly, forcing Rick’s eyes back to his.

Daryl gulped and looked at you with shame in his eyes.

“He… He beat her, Rick… But, beyond that?... He was gonna…” Daryl’s eyes filled with tears and he couldn’t speak for a moment.

Rick nodded in understanding, even more anger coursing through him for his friends. He waited for Daryl to speak again, looking up at him with as much understanding as he could.

Daryl looked away and then looked back at Rick.

“He knows we’re here. That’s what he wanted.” He said, forcing the words out of his mouth as he brought his angry and helpless eyes to his.

Rick’s jaw tightened and he pushed his hands through his hair, looking away as he processed the news.

“I just… I just couldn’t let him do that to her… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” He said as he looked over at you, saying sorry to you both as he broke down crying and laid his body protectively over yours.

Rick looked over at his friend and hung his head, slowly standing up and putting his hand on Daryl’s back as he cried into your unconscious body. Rick looked you over again, taking in how badly you had been beaten full in now and patted his friends back.

“You did the right thing,” Rick said, causing Daryl to take a ragged breath and look up at him as he turned his head that rested on your chest.

“I did?” He asked, completely surprised by Rick’s reaction.

Rick looked down at him, his hands on his hips, and nodded seriously.

“Yeah. I would have done the same.” He said, watching Daryl’s still shame-filled eyes avert from his as he looked back up at your battered face.

“You did what you needed to to keep the one you love safe, Daryl. The rest…” Rick sighed deeply, his mind wandering back to the problem that was the governor knowing about this place before focusing on his friend.

“The rest we will figure out.” He said, nodding reassuringly at Daryl, trying to convince himself as well.

Daryl looked back at him and nodded, taking a few deep breaths and trying to calm himself.

A few seconds later Glenn and Hershel were at the door. They both looked over at you and Daryl and shared a sympathetic look before Hershel spoke.

“Alright. I’m the doctor here. Let me have a look.” He said, walking into the cell on his crutches.

Glenn stood outside with Hershel’s med kit waiting for the other two to exit the small cell. Rick nodded and walked out of the cell, sharing a knowing look with Glenn before turning and waiting for his friend to exit as well.

Daryl hugged you, wishing he could feel you hug him back. A tear slipped out when he didn’t and he slowly forced his body back up until he was sitting up, watching over you. He leaned down and kissed your cheek, wincing to himself when he wondered if that hurt you. He leaned back over you and softly pushed your hair out of your face, looking at you with nothing but complete vulnerable love as he took a ragged breath and spoke.

“The Doc’s gonna take care of you now, Y/N. I’ll be right here if you need me. Okay?” He paused, hoping to hear your voice.

When he didn’t he forced another deep breath, leaning down to kiss your forehead before forcing his body up and off the cot. He turned to face Hershel who looked up at him with sad, sympathetic eyes.

“Please take care of her Doc.” He said, his eyes saying it all.

Hershel looked back at him and nodded.

“As if she were my own.” He promised, resolve and sympathy still on his face.

Daryl studied him for a second and then nodded, slowly walking out of the cell. Glenn looked at him with sympathy and care in his eyes briefly before quickly walking into the cell with Hershel’s med kit filled with things that would help her recover.

Daryl stood guard outside the cell and watched as Glenn brought a chair over for Hershel and he put his crutches down, bending over to start taking your vitals.

Glenn assisted him as the went to work examining you and patching you up.

Daryl gulped down his sadness as he watched, wishing he could just see your eyes open at least once so he could know you were going to be alright.

Rick walked up beside him and stood there watching the scene with him, not saying a word, just being there. He looked over at Daryl and watched as a million things ran through his head, causing a fearful look on his face. Rick put his hand on Daryl’s shoulder, causing Daryl’s eyes to go to his.

“She’s gonna pull through. She’s tough. It’s gonna be okay.” Rick said, as they both looked back over at you and watched the Doctor go about his business.

About a half hour went by as they stood watch over you watching Hershel run his diagnostics. Daryl’s heart was pounding and his eyes fixed on Hershel’s reaction to every area he checked on you. Finally, he watched Hershel nod to Glenn and reach up for his crutches, pulling his body back up onto them and pivoting around as he headed for the cell door.

Hershel swung his body and crutches through the door and walked over to Daryl, looking up at him with serious yet kind eyes.

Daryl’s body stiffened and his heart started to race again as he thought of the worst that could happen.

Hershel nodded, looking back at you unconscious the bed and then looked back into Daryl’s eyes.

“She’s got a serious concussion. But, her vitals are strong. I have a strong reason to believe she is going to wake up and be just fine.” Hershel said, pausing and looking at Daryl for his reaction.

Daryl’s body relaxed a little and he nodded, trying to keep the now grateful tears at bay as they threatened to flood.

“As for her injuries… I’ve cleaned up her wounds and patched up what I could. She should start healing soon. For now, we just have to wait it out.” He said, his eyes never leaving Daryl’s.

Daryl chewed on his lip as he looked over at you with medical tape all around your face where cuts had formed and over your left eye which had swollen shut and was about five times what it normally was.

“Thanks, Doc, I mean it, really,” Daryl said, with gratitude in his voice as he looked back at Hershel.

Hershel nodded.

“I can stay with her the night… If you need to rest.” Rick said, pushing his hand around on Daryl’s shoulder.

Daryl looked over at Rick and smile gratefully but shook his head.

“Nah. I’m not gonna leave her… Not again.” He said looking over at you with ashamed, sad, eyes.

Rick nodded in understanding, looking over at him.

“At least let me bring you one of the cots from another cell, so you can try and get some sleep. If the governor is onto us now I’m going to need you healthy.” Rick said, matter-of-factly as he looked sternly at Daryl.

Daryl looked over at Rick with even more shame in his eyes now and nodded.

Rick nodded back and turned to walk off to get a cot.

Glenn and Hershel said goodnight and told him they would be back in the morning to check on them. Daryl said thank you again and stood there staring at you as you slept, battered and bruised. His eyes winced as he felt the pain surge through his entire being of how bad you had been hurt. He heard Rick behind him and watched him as Rick he drug a small cot into the cell and put it on the floor next to yours. He also dropped a pillow onto it before walking back out.

Daryl took the hint and walked into the cell, laying down onto the cot on his back, trying to get comfortable.

“Get some sleep, Daryl,” Rick said as he started to walk away with the cell door wide open.

“Could ya lock it?” Daryl’s voice ran out quietly to Rick.

Rick turned and looked at him curiously for a moment before nodding and grabbing the key ring that hand off his hips.

He walked over at shut the door, jamming the heavy metal key into the lock and turning it, locking it shut. He clipped the key ring back to the side loop of his pants and nodded again to Daryl, who nodded back in gratitude.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” Rick said, nodding to his friend one more time before heading to his and Carl’s cell for some more rest before the sun threatened to come up.

Daryl shifted uncomfortably and looked up at you, your head resting to the side of the bed and your hand dangling off the side above him. He took your hand in both of his and kissed it sweetly before whispering up to you.

“I love you, Y/N. You’re safe now. Sleep… And come back to me soon… I need you…” He said a tear escaping his eye as he let his hands fall away from yours.

He tightly hugged his own body as he moved his head around on the pillow until he was comfortable. He finally shut his eyes and tried to push the fresh hell of memories aside long enough to rest. He fell asleep as he thought of happier memories of you and him tangled up together with nothing but love and safety surrounding you two.

As soon as he fell asleep his mind turned on him and he had nightmares about the things that had happened that night. His heart raced and he shouted helplessly as he watched the governor beat you senseless while you cried out in pain. His brain cut to the two men he had murdered and in his dream, he couldn’t make it to you fast enough, as if his feet had concrete bricks attached to him as he slowly tried to get to you. He tried to run as fast as he could. But, he could only go in slow motion.

He watched the men as they tore your clothes off and watched one of them as he took his pants down and started to rape your lifeless body. He shouted and screamed, again helpless to stop them as they spat on you and did unspeakable things.

“No! Get the fuck off her!!” He shouted, trying to pick up his speed but unable to get there in time.

Your eyes suddenly opened and your head turned, for a moment your bruises gone as you stared at him and spoke.

“This is your fault, Daryl. How could you let them do this to me?” You said, looking over at him as you started to cry, looking at him as if he had betrayed you.

“No!!” He shouted again, reaching his hand out to you as he watched your body and the scene around him disappear into nothing.

“No!! Y/N!!” He shouted into the dark abyss, looking around frantic to find you.

Suddenly, Daryl’s eyes opened and he sat up, shooting away. His heart was racing with pure adrenaline and there were tears in his eyes. He shot up and looked around, noticing the sun had come up and was flooding through the cell and the prison through the high windows.

He looked over at you, still asleep, and he sighed a sigh of relief. He sat there a few minutes, trying to calm his breathing and his mind as he tried to wipe the dream and the memories away. He held his knees to his chest, trying not to rock back and forth as he looked over at you. Your eyes were moving rapidly, you were dreaming. He hoped like hell you were dreaming of anything other than what you had endured.

He was interrupted by the sound of Rick clearing his throat. Daryl swiftly turned his head and attention to the door and saw Rick standing there in the early morning light. Rick looked over at him apologetically as he unlocked and opened the cell door.

“Sorry about this. But, we really need to discuss how we’re going to handle this. It’s most likely that he is planning an attack as we speak. Especially, since you escaped last night.” Rick said with a serious look in his eye.

Daryl nodded in understanding, looking over at you as you dreamt.

“She’s dreaming… That’s a good sign right?” He said, looking back at Rick with sad, but hopeful eyes.

“That’s a very good sign… It means that she hasn’t slipped into a coma. Her brain is healing itself. Slowly, but, surely.” Hershel said, walking over in his crutches towards Rick and looking over at you on the cot.

Daryl chewed on his lip nervously and nodded. He got up and pushed his cot up and against the wall, bringing the chair back to sit by your bedside.

Hershel walked in and nodded in thanks at his actions, pushing his crutches to the wall and sitting down on the chair. Hershel looked up at Daryl and nodded, shooing his hand at him.

“We’re fine… Go discuss what needs discussin’… I’ll come and get you If anything changes.” He said, his thick southern accent thicker than usual as he looked over at them.

Daryl looked back at you and then at the Doc. He nodded, chewing his lip before turning and walking out of the door. Rick nodded and turned around to walk away, Daryl following behind him as they walked out of the prison and into the courtyard.

Rick stopped a few yards down into the big open courtyard and put his hands on his hips surveying the place they now called home. Daryl walked up and beside him, stopping when he was shoulder to shoulder with them. He looked over and saw Carl and Carol standing guard on the watchtower and Maggie and Glenn manning the fence, killing a walker at a time.

“We’ve gone through a lot to get here, Daryl. I’ll be damned if some asshole thinks he can just march in here and take what all these people have worked so hard to get.” He said, looking over at Daryl with serious eyes.

Daryl nodded, looking around again and then looking at the ground with shame in his eyes.

“I’m sorry, man… I just… I just couldn’t let him-” He started to break down and Rick walked over and faced him, putting his hands on Daryl’s shoulders and shaking him.

“Listen to me,” Rick said, waiting for Daryl’s reluctant eyes to come back to his.

When they did he spoke again.

“Don’t you ever be sorry for saving one of our own. Especially, Y/N. I know how much you love her and her you. Don’t you ever think that what that asshole did is your fault? Alright?” He said, glaring into Daryl’s eyes as he tried to make his point.

Daryl tried to harden his face, taking a few deep breaths before nodding.

“Okay,” Rick said, satisfied, dropping his hands and looking over at his friend.

“We can’t change what’s happened. But, we can make sure our people are taken care of.” Rick said, his mind resolved that they could survive this too.

Daryl looked at him and nodded, trying to believe him. He looked over at him with questioning eyes.

“What are we gonna do?” He asked Rick.

Rick looked down at the ground and then out at the scenery around him. He watched the walkers try and claw their way through the fence.

“I’ve got an idea.” He said, putting together a plan to save you all, hopefully.

As if on cue Glenn came running up to the two of them and landed his hand on Daryl’s shoulder.

Daryl looked over at him and he noticed the look of happiness in his eyes.

“She’s awake… Y/N, she’s awake and asking for you.” Glenn said with a smile.

Daryl nodded, his heart racing as he looked over at Rick.

Rick nodded to him.

“Go. I’ll catch up soon.” He said to Daryl.

Daryl nodded and then sprinted past them both and towards the prison door. He ran down the steps and to the cell he had left you asleep in. Hershel was standing outside the door as he watched Daryl run over to the cell. He looked at Hershel and nodded a thanks and then nearly ran inside, hitting his knees at the side of the bed.

“Daryl?” You said looking down at him in a confused state.

“She’s a bit groggy, which is to be expected with a head wound like that. Give her time.” Hershel said.

Daryl looked over at him and nodded in understanding. Hershel nodded back and walked off, leaving the two of you alone.

Daryl looked back over at you leaning back up to cup the sides of your bruised and battered face. He winced, trying to be as gentle as possible with you.

“Yeah, it’s me… I’m here Y/N…” He said, gulping back happy tears as he watched you look up at him, finally awake.

You looked up at him wincing as you tried to open your swollen eye, forgetting for a moment that it was swollen shut.

“Rest,” Daryl told you, softly caressing his thumbs up and down your cheeks.

“Daryl? Where are we?” You asked, looking around with blurry vision seeing the rails of the cell and then back up at him with a frightened look on your face at the thought of still being held captive.

“We’re home… I brought you back to the prison. You’re safe now, Y/N.” He said, stroking your face with care.

You sighed a deep sigh of relief.

“How’d we get here?” You asked, realizing you remembered nothing after being beaten tied to the chair.

“I carried ya…” He said.

You smiled through your cut lip and brought your right hand up to the side of his face to caress it.

“My knight in shining armor.” You said, looking up at him with nothing but love in your eyes.

Daryl looked away, punishing himself inside his head. If it weren’t for him you wouldn’t be in this condition, he told himself. But, he pushed it down and looked back at you.

“You’re gonna be okay, Y/N. The doc says you should start healing soon and that there’s nothin’ permanently damaged.” He told you.

Well, except for the fact that you had to live with this the rest of your life.

You nodded and smiled at him again, keeping your hand cupped to the side of your face.

“What would I do without you?” You asked, looking up at the man you loved so lovingly.

He shook his head and allowed himself a small smile.

“Don’t worry, Y/N. I’m not going anywhere.” He said, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on your lips, careful not to hit the cut on your lower lip.

He leaned back and you both stared lovingly at each other until your memories began flooding back.

“Daryl?” You asked.

“Yeah?” He answered.

“Did you… Did you tell him about this place?” You asked.

Daryl bit his lip and looked down at you with ashamed eyes, nodding sadly.

You could tell he was beating himself up for it and you caressed the side of his face again. He leaned into it and closed his eyes with a dismal expression on his face.

“I had to, Y/N… He was gonna do things to ya… Much worse than this… I had to…” He said, a tear slipping down his cheek as he was brought back to the threats of the governor and then to those men.

You nodded and held his face, wiping the tear away from his cheek.

“Shh… Shh… Daryl, it’s okay… We’ll find a way… We always have…” You said, comforting him.

He opened his teary eyes and blinked them, looking down at you as you comforted him. He nuzzled into your hand again and nodded.

“I’m sorry, Y/N… I should have NEVER let you come with me that night! It’s all my fault.” He said, looking your bruised and battered face over again.

You laughed and it turned into a cough, making you wince in pain a moment until you caught your breath. You looked up at him with love and smiled, shaking your head.

“Really? You think you could have told me no and I would have listened?” You asked, with amusement.

He looked down at you and smile a minute as he reminded himself how stubborn you were. You were being so brave about this. He didn’t know how you could be after what happened, but here you were trying to make *him* smile.

“I’m so happy you’re okay, Y/N…” He said breaking down again as he leaned down and rested his head on your chest, hearing the sound of your steady, beating, heart underneath him.

You wrapped your arms around his body and caressed his hair as he gently wept in your arms.

“It’s gonna be okay, Daryl… I promise it’s all gonna be okay.” You said stroking his hair lovingly.

He nodded into you and turned his head to look up at you again.

You tucked the hair behind his ears as he steadied his breath, pulling himself together.

You were both startled when you heard a wrapping on the cage door.

You looked over and saw Rick standing there with his hands on his hips. He looked away apologetically before looking back at the two of you with serious eyes.

“Sorry to interrupt. But, we have to assume the governor and his men will be on their way soon. I’ve got a plan. Daryl, can you come with me? And Y/N? Can you walk?” He asked, hating to move you so soon.

But, he didn’t have a choice if you wanted to stay alive.

Daryl wiped his eyes quickly and got off the bed, holding his hand out to you. You sat up, wincing a little, your muscles still sore. You sat up and swung your legs to the side. You grabbed Daryl’s hand and let him help pull you to your feet. You were sore but you could walk. You turned and started walking towards the door and towards Rick as Daryl followed behind you, his hands ghosting your lower back as he followed you in case you wavered.

“I can walk. What are we doing?” You asked Rick as you walked out of the cell with Daryl following behind you.

“I want you to go with Hershel and the kids. Hershel knows what to do. The rest of us are staying behind to take care of this problem once and for all.” He said turning his eyes to Daryl’s.

“I don’t know Rick… I can’t leave her right now, look at her.” He said looking over at you with shame and sadness in his eyes.

You turned around and faced him, putting your hands on his sides as you looked up at him bravely.

“I’ll be fine Daryl. Hershel will make sure I’m safe. Besides, you know if you don’t do this you will regret it.” You said, knowing him all too well.

He chewed on his lip as he looked you over, hating that you were right. He nodded, finally agreeing and putting his hand on your face.

“I’m gonna set this right, Y/N.” He said, with determined eyes.

You smiled and nodded.

“I know you will… And then you can come back to me… Okay?” You said.

He nodded again.

“Okay.” He said in agreement, turning his attention back to Rick.

“What do you want me to do?” He asked him.

Rick looked over at you and nodded his head, putting his hands on his hips.

“First, let’s get her and the rest out of harm's way. Pack up your things and let’s get those cars running. Hershel and Beth have already started packing everything up. I want this place to look just like when we found it, empty. Then? You, me, Carol, Michonne, Maggie, and Glenn are going to finish this, once and for all.” He said, pointedly at Daryl who nodded to his instructions...


End file.
